New ‘Cover-up’ claim over murder of boy found at Rogate in 1980s

Published:07:00Friday 21 November 2014

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THE father of an eight-year-old boy whose remains were found in Rogate in 1982, claims his son may have died at the hands of a Westminster paedophile ring – and fears Scotland Yard helped ‘cover up’ the crime.

Vishal Mehrotra had vanished seven months earlier, the day of the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, July 29, 1981.

At the inquest into his death, the West Sussex coroner Mark Calvert Lee recorded an open verdict, but said ‘foul play’ was likely.

The murder has never been solved, but now The Daily Telegraph has revealed his father Vishambar, a retired magistrate, recorded a male prostitute saying his son may have been abducted and taken to the now notorious Elm Guest House in Barnes in 1981.

He took the recording to police at the time but claims they refused to investigate an allegation implicating ‘judges and politicians’.

Mr Mehrotra said it had been a ‘huge cover-up’.

The Metropolitan Police announced last week they were investigating possible murders linked to the guest house.

The new inquiry began when an alleged victim came forward claiming high-profile paedophiles abused children at locations in London in the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Mehrotra told The Daily Telegraph: “I recorded the whole 15-minute conversation and took it to police.

“But instead of investigating it, they just pooh-poohed it and I never heard anything about the tape again.

“The whole thing went cold. At that time I trusted the police.

“But when nothing happened, I became confused and concerned.

“Now it is clear to me there has been a huge cover up. There is no doubt in my mind.”

Mr Mehrotra, now 69 and living in West Molesey, said he had ‘hardly been contacted’ by police in the intervening years.

He had not been spoken to in recent months despite the alleged witness reporting the murder of three boys at the time Vishal vanished.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the force would not comment on an ongoing investigation.